Ohio State football: Record-breaking receiver among notable Buckeyes in 100th season of NFL action

Credit: Chris Graythen

Credit: Chris Graythen

Several former Ohio State football players left their mark on the NFL in its 100th season.

The most notable NFL Buckeyes in 2019 were arguably Nick Bosa and Michael Thomas.

>>RELATED: Bosa named NFL Rookie of the Year

While Bosa helped energize a 49ers defense that helped get San Francisco to the Super Bowl, Thomas burnished his reputation as one of, if not the best receivers in the league.

In his fourth season, Thomas led the NFL with 1,725 receiver yards and set a single-season record with 149 catches.

Here are five more things to know about Buckeyes in the NFL last season:

1. Thomas and Bosa are two of six former Ohio State players to make the Pro Bowl.

Also earning the invite to the league’s annual all-star game were Nick’s older brother, Joey, along with Marshon Lattimore, a teammate of Thomas with the Saints, Steelers defensive lineman Cameron Heyward and Cowboys running back Ezekiel Elliott.

2. After a training camp holdout, Elliott finished fourth in the NFL with 1,357 rushing hards.

He scored 12 touchdowns and averaged 4.5 yards per carry.

His predecessor as the starting running back at Ohio State, Carlos Hyde, finished 13th in the league with 1,070 yards rushing for the Texans.

3. Taylor Decker started all 15 games he played for the Lions, who drafted him in the first round four years ago.

According to MLive.com, the Butler High School grad started the season poorly but improved as it went on and Pro Football Focus graded him the No. 18 tackle in the league when all was said and done. He has a year left on his rookie contract.

Northmont grad Kurt Coleman spent his 10th NFL season with the Buffalo Bills. The veteran safety appeared in 14 games and was credited with three tackles.

Michael Bennett, a defensive lineman from Centerville, missed the season with the Atlanta Falcons after suffering a broken ankle at the start of training camp.

4. Four Ohio State alumni finished the season with the Bengals, and they had different types of years to be sure.

The best by far was Sam Hubbard. A second-year defensive end, the Cincinnati native moved into the starting lineup and made 76 tackles, including 8.5 sacks. He was one of the team’s most dependable and productive defensive players all season a the team struggled in its transition from head coach Marvin Lewis to Zac Taylor.

Billy Price lost the starting job to Trey Hopkins in training camp.

With injuries impacting multiple spots throughout the year, the 2018 first-round pick still played in all 16 games and started eight, but his future role with the team is uncertain.

>>RELATED: 9 things to know about Ohio State and the 2019 NFL Draft

Mike Jordan played in 13 games with nine starts as a rookie who was taken in the fifth round.

Isaiah Prince was picked up for depth late in the season and did not see action with the Bengals. He began his rookie season with the Dolphins, who drafted him in the sixth round and started him in two of his four games before putting him on waivers in December.

5. Then of course there is Dwayne Haskins.

The first Big Ten quarterback drafted in the first round in more than 20 years and first first-round QB from Ohio State since Art Schlichter in 1984 had a rocky first season in the NFL.

He played in nine games for the Washington Redskins, starting seven. The Maryland high school product completed 58.6 percent of his passes, threw seven touchdown passes and seven interceptions and had a quarterback rating of 76.1.

He will have a new head coach this season after Jay Gruden was fired, but Gruden’s replacement, Ron Rivera, told reporters at his introductory press conference he believes Haskins can be a franchise quarterback.

Meanwhile, Haskins’ top target his rookie season was a familiar face: Fellow Buckeye Terry McLaurin led the Redskins with 58 catches for 919 yards and scored seven touchdowns receiving, all team highs.

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